Baltimore Ravens – Team Needs; DB, OL, DL, TE
1(17) – ILB C.J. Mosley Alabama
2(48) – DT Timmy Jernigan Florida State
3(79) – FS Terrence Brooks Florida State
3(99) – TE Crockett Gilmore Colorado State
4(134) – DT Brent Urban Virginia
4(138) – RB Lorenzo Taliaferro Coastal Carolina
5(175) – G John Urschel Penn State
6(194) – QB Keith Wenning Ball State
7(218) – WR Mike Campanaro Wake Forest
What we like – Baltimore had become a little soft in the middle compared to their Super Bowl teams. They have gotten some of that toughness back in Mosley and Jernigan. Terrence Brooks was good value in the 3rd Round and fills their biggest need. John Urschel was a nice pick in the later rounds. The Ravens defense should be vastly improved through this draft.
What we don’t like – The Ravens reached a bit for 3rd and 4th Round picks Crockett Gilmore and Lorenzo Taliaferro. They may turn out well for them but there were a lot of players rated higher still available. Baltimore could have done a better job filling needs.
Overall – Strong draft for the Ravens. Their top 3 picks will really help their defense. Mosley and Jernigan seem like 2 guys that will thrive in the Ravens system. You couldn’t ask for much more on the defensive side but they didn’t much to address the offense.
Grade B
Cincinnati Bengals – Team Needs; DB, OL, DL, RB
1(24) – CB Darqueze Dennard Michigan State
2(55) – RB Jeremy Hill LSU
3(88) – DE Will Clarke West Virginia
4(111) – C Russell Bodine North Carolina
5(164) – QB AJ McCarron Alabama
6(212) – OLB Marquis Flowers Arizona
7(239) – WR James Wright LSU
7(252) – CB Lavelle Westbrooks Georgia Southern
What we like – Darqueze Dennard was a great pick at #24 and fills their biggest need. Jeremy Hill will contribute from day 1. Russell Bodine and AJ McCarron were great value picks in Round 4 and 5. Lavelle Westbrooks is a potential late round sleeper. The Bengals did a good job of drafting value and filling needs.
What we don’t like – The Bengals could have done more to address both lines. They really needed help on the edges and didn’t draft a Tackle or pass rusher. All the team did to help the D-Line was reach for Will Clarke in Round 3. 6th and 7th Round picks Flowers and Wright are more like undrafted players.
Overall – Cincinnati did a solid job this draft. McCarron is a really interesting pick. If QB Andy Dalton struggles it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Bengals go to him. Getting Dennard and Hill in the 1st Rounds should really help the team this season.
Grade B-
Cleveland Browns – Team Needs; WR, QB, DB, LB
1(8) – CB Justin Gilbert Oklahoma State
1(22) – QB Johnny Manziel Texas A&M
2(35) – OT Joel Bitonio Nevada
3(71) – OLB Christian Kirksey Iowa
3(94) – RB Terrance West Towson
4(127) – CB Pierre Desir Lindenwood
What we like – Justin Gilbert should fit in great and give Cleveland dominant book-end corners for the next 5 years with Joe Hayden. Although Manziel will obviously be the biggest story of this draft for the Browns getting Gilbert is a more significant get. We do love the pick of Johnny Football. Cleveland should be a great fit. This team really needed a shot in the arm and there hasn’t been a shot in the arm in the draft like Manziel since Tebow. Hopefully this turns out better, we think it will. Every player the Browns drafted should make the team and contribute right away.
What we don’t like – The Browns probably took Bitonio a little too high. He doesn’t look like he can be a standout at Tackle. He may end up playing inside and they may be what the Browns are looking for. Cleveland didn’t have any picks after Round 5 and only drafted 6 players. That’s a minor issue with the value the Browns were able to get at the top of the draft.
Overall – Cleveland had the most exciting draft a team has had in years trading up to get Johnny Football. It should be fun to see how it plays out. The rest of the draft was very quiet in comparison but very solid. There has never been a more exciting time to be a Cleveland sports fan.
Grade A-
Pittsburgh Steelers – Team Needs; TE, WR, CB, OL
1(15) – OLB Ryan Shazier Ohio State
2(46) – DE Stephon Tuitt Notre Dame
3(97) – RB Dri Archer Kent State
4(118) – WR Martavis Bryant Clemson
5(157) – CB Shaquille Richardson Arizona
5(173) – OT Wesley Johnson Vanderbilt
6(192) – ILB Jordan Zumwalt UCLA
6(215) – DT Daniel McCullers Tennessee
7(230) – TE Rob Blanchflower Massachusetts
What we like – The Steelers most likely added 2 starters with their 1st 2 picks. When the Steelers draft defense they usually don’t miss and Shazier and Tuitt and both very good players who should fit their scheme. Dri Archer will most likely find a way to make an impact in the NFL despite his diminutive size. Martavis Bryant is an interesting pick that has a ton of upside. McCullers slipped and was a nice find in the 6th Round.
What we don’t like – With as many picks as the Steelers had they could have done more to fill positions of need. While it does look like they will get some starters from this draft it doesn’t look like they did much to address their needs on the O-Line and at TE. Bryant could be a nice pick down the line but there were many WR’s in this draft that can contribute right away.
Overall – We really like what the Steelers did at the top of the draft. The rest of their draft may prove to be lackluster. Pittsburgh did seem to try to draft for need in the later rounds were just not sure they filled any.
Grade B-
